The Forgotten Boy
by slicediced
Summary: Arthur sends Elyan to the druid camp with an invite Elyan returns and shares his story Gwen. Elyan's time with the druids bring unexpected closure and a promise of a new tomorrow with the help of a young boy forgotten by the world. An extra in The Road to Albion series


Elyan sat on his bed getting ready for the day when he heard a knock on the door.

"Enter"

"Good Morning"

Elyan looked up in surprise to see Gwen.

"Good morning" Elyan replied

"We didn't get a chance to speak last night after you'd returned"

"I was exhausted and Arthur looked like he was as well. Is he awake? I wanted to give him my report on the druids"

"It must have gone well"

"Yes, I think so."

"Heard you brought back a little gift?"

Elyan hesitated for a moment before he smiled softly and retrieved a smile little charm from underneath his pillow.

"It's beautiful" Gwen whispered as she examined the charm closely.

"It's for luck."

Gwen smiled and returned the charm carefully to her brother who looked troubled for a moment before speaking.

"Do you remember what I told you about my encounter with a druid boy spirit? When you weren't here"

"Of course that what led to Arthur declaring the druids are not to be persecuted"

"We all know that declaration does not stop Camelot from pursuing sorcerers especially those in the druids' camp"

"They did not take kindly to your visit?"

"No they did not. They were not violent of course but they did not seem willing to share their knowledge with Camelot without a guarantee that their services and wisdom will not be used to harm and oppress others."

Elyan stared at his closed fist as he whispered

"I could not give them such a guarantee"

"So what did you do?" Gwen asked quietly before she sat down on the bed beside her brother and held his fist in her hand.

" There was nothing I could do. I simply stayed a little ways away from their camp and went back to try to talk to them everyday"

Elyan smiled he looked us as he unclenched his fist and held Gwen's hand.

"Though they did not want me there they still brought me a meal and water a few times a day though they could have had enough to share so freely especially not with an outsider"

Gwen smiled.

"So how did you finally get them to listen?"

"When I went to the druid camp one day there was an old woman there. She was from one of the other camps who'd arrived that day she saw me and I knew her." Elyan's voice was now trembling.

"I'd seen her. I remembered her. Her voice, her face, her hair once as black as night"

Gwen could no longer see Elyan's face as he hunched over they entwined hands but she felt teardrops one after another on her hands.

"This woman I had never seen before in all my life but I knew her kindness, her strength, how bright her smile was. Suddenly years of memories of her showing me magic, giving me candy, and singing me lullabies flooded my mind. I wound have thought I had lost my mind if she hadn't run towards to me and held me tight"

Gwen now held him tight as he cried into her shoulder he tried to catch his breath and continue the story.

"We just held each other and cried for I don't know how long. I just remember waking up in a druid tent afterward"

"Who was she" Gwen asked quietly after a moment of silence

"Trifin was the druid boy's grandmother. His name was Eldric."

"I thought the whole camp was slaughtered"

"It was" Elyan growled back.

"She is a seer. She had seen a vision of her sister becoming gravely ill and left the camp weeks before the attack. She returned to find only bodies and destruction. She and her sister's helped to make the shrine that I later violated"

"Is that how she knew who you are? What happened with you and ..Eldric?"

Elyan smiled.

"She said she sensed Eldric the moment she arrived at camp you can imagine her surprise when she turned to see me instead but for a moment. A single moment she swears my eyes changed for a moment and she knew that for a moment she saw Eldric stand before her. She think it might just be her eyes sight not as good as it used to be apparently."

"You spoke to her?"

"Of course we spoke all night. We spoke about Eldric, his family about everything. I am so glad Gwen there was someone who knew him, cared for him, loved him and still remembered him. Talking about him made him seem so real again. When he spoke to me before all he would tell me was about the pain about the awful thing that happened to his people, his family. I was so glad to hear he was so happy and loved. I was sacred he would be forgotten by everyone by the entire world except for Arthur and I but she remembered him. She helped convince the druid leader accept Arthur's invite"

"Why did she do that?"

"Trifin and I visited the shrine together. I made an offering and she said that all was forgiven. If Eldric a young boy has forgiven me and found Arthur to be true to his word then the druid as adults must learn from the young once more to forgive and to not hastily turn away an offer of friendship. "

"So they accepted our invite in memory of Eldric?"

"Yes" Elyan beamed his tear streaked face and puffy eyes could not hope to conceal the look of admiration. "As an act of forgiveness and trust"

"The charm did Trifin give that to you?"

"Yes" Elyan smiled softly "with the promise to write often."


End file.
